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Archives of American Art
Advancing American Art: exhibition records
Summary
- Collection ID:
- AAA.unitstat
- Creators:
-
United States. Department of State
- Dates:
-
1946-1977
- Languages:
-
English.
- Physical Description:
-
250 Items(on partial microfilm reel)
- Repository:
Scope and Contents
Scope and Contents
Correspondence, 1946-1977, and clippings, 1946-1948, relating to a traveling exhibition of art organized by the United States Department of State.
Biographical / Historical
Biographical / Historical
Advancing American Art was an exhibition organized in 1946 by J. LeRoy Davidson and Richard Heindel of the State Department to promote American art. The seventy-nine oil paintings were purchased by the State Dept., supplemented by 39 watercolors funded by the American Federation of Arts under contract to the State Dept., and after being introduced in New York at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in October 1946, were to travel in segments to Latin America and Europe for a five-year tour. Despite being well received in Prague, criticism in the U.S. from conservatives about the mostly abstract paintings being "un-American" led to the withdrawl of funding for the remainder of the tour, the recall of the paintings, and their sale as "surplus" property by the War Assets Administration in 1948.
Administration
Existence and Location of Copies
35mm microfilm reel 3769 available at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated 1983 by Susan Sivard, who acquired the materials while researching the exhibition for an article which appeared in the April 1984 issue of Arts magazine.
Using the Collection
Conditions Governing Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
More Information
Other Title
Other Title
Advancing American art (box label)
Keywords
Keyword Terms | Keyword Types | ||
---|---|---|---|
Art, American | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
Traveling exhibitions | Function | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
Advancing American Art (1946-1948) | Corporate Name | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
Archives of American Art
750 9th Street, NW
Victor Building, Suite 2200
Washington, D.C. 20001
https://www.aaa.si.edu/services/questions